This invention relates to loading dock shelters, and, more particularly, to loading dock shelters of the pad type.
It is a primary object of the present invention to afford a novel loading dock shelter.
Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel loading dock shelter of the pad type, as distinguished from loading dock shelters of the "drape-type", such as, for example, those shown in our U.S. Letters Pat. Nos. 3,638,667 and 3,699,733.
Loading dock shelters of the pad type have been heretofore known in the art, being shown, for example, in our U.S. Pat. No. 3,230,675. Such loading dock shelters have been highly successful and afford effective shelter for men and materials during the loading and unloading of a truck, or the like, through a warehouse door equipped with such a shelter It is an important object of the present invention to afford improvements over pad-type loading dock shelters heretofore known in the art, such as, for example, the shelters of the type disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,230,675.
Loading dock shelters of the pad type commonly are mounted along the sides and across the top of doorways in warehouses, and the like, in position to be sealingly engaged with the rear end of a truck, which is disposed in operative position, relative to the doorway for the loading or unloading of the truck therethrough. Such sealing engagement of the pad units with the rear end of the trucks is effective to protect against the loss of air conditioning between the truck and warehouse on warm days, when the warehouse is air conditioned, and to prevent the entry of cold air into the warehouse between the truck and the doorway on cold days, when the warehouse is being treated. However, on certain occasions, such as, for example, on mild days, when the ventilation relied upon for such a warehouse is the passage of air through such a doorway, such sealing engagement between a pad unit and a rear end of a truck is undesirable. In addition, when such sealing engagement is unnecessary, such as, for example, under the aforementioned conditions on mild days, and the like, the aforementioned sealing engagement of such a truck with the pad unit causes unnecessary wear on the pad unit.
It is an important object of the present invention to afford a novel loading dock shelter of the pad type wherein the pads thereof are movable into and out of a position wherein they are effective to so sealingly engage such a truck.
Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel loading dock shelter of the pad type wherein the pads thereof may be quickly and easily moved into a retracted, or stored position when it is desired that they not sealingly engage a truck disposed in normal loading and unloading position relative to a doorway around which the pad unit is disposed.
A further object of the present invention is to afford a novel loading dock shelter of the aforementioned adjustable pad type, wherein the side pads thereof are constituted and arranged in a novel and expeditious manner effective to hold them against vertical movement when they are operatively engaged by a truck.
Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel loading dock shelter of the aforementioned pad type which is practical and efficient in operation and which may be readily and economically produced commercially.
Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof and what we now consider to be the best mode in which we have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.